Blue-tongued lizard, also called the common blue-tongued skink, is a stout-bodied reptile. It is one of the largest members of the skink family. It is named after its bright-blue tongue, which it displays when angry or alarmed. There are three subspecies of the blue-tongued lizard. They include the eastern blue-tongued skink and the northern blue-tongued skink, which are both native to Australia. The Tanimbar blue-tongued skink, found on the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia, is the only subspecies that lives outside Australia. 
A blue-tongued lizard typically measures about 18 inches (46 centimeters) in length. But the larger subspecies can grow up to 24 inches (60 centimeters) in length. The lizard has short limbs and a thick tail. The upper body ranges from silvery gray to dark brown. The lower body is usually gray, white, or yellow. The lizard has distinctive markings along its back and tail. The markings are orange, yellow, white, dark brown, or black. They appear as horizontal bands, wrapping around the lizard’s upper body and tail. Some lizards also have a dark stripe that spans from the eye to the ear.
The lizards eat snails, insects, and berries. They live on the ground, sheltering among vegetation or under logs. The lizards mate and give birth during the dry season, which usually lasts from late winter through summer. Female blue-tongued lizards give birth to live young, typically around 10 at a time.
Blue-tongued lizards have powerful jaws and rather blunt, crushing teeth. Their bite is viselike and painful. Normally, the bite does not break the skin, but minor lacerations (cuts) can result if an attempt is made to forcibly break the lizard’s grip. It is commonly believed in Australia that the bite of one of these lizards can cause recurring sores. This belief has arisen probably because a wound caused by the bite can easily become infected. However, infection can be prevented by treating lacerations with an antiseptic.
People sometimes use the name blue-tongued lizard for any close relative of the common blue-tongued skink. Closely related species include the giant blue-tongued skink, the western blue-tongued lizard, and the shingleback lizard.
